AN: FINALLY she's at Hogwarts! Rejoice!

To answer some of the reviews from a guest account: I plan on making Hermione a Animagus, but she doesn't know how yet. I realized my mistake about Nagini while writing the previous chapter, but since this is a fanfiction I decided to just run with it and go with the fact that Nagini is indeed a horcrux already for plot purposes. As far as your other questions you'll just have to wait and see;)

Also almost 50 followers! What ! That shits wild.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything!

Chapter Eight: Definitely Gryffindor

After that morning where she woke up and said the admission about Harry she found it harder and harder to hold back small confessions. At random points in conversation she would give very vague and slight declarations. Even if there was no context, or it was unclear what she was talking about, Remus, James, and Sirius would give her complete undivided attention.

"I got snatched when I was on the run." The four of them had been eating breakfast. She didn't look up, but everyone else did. "We were… looking for something. They caught all three of us."

"All three?" James asked.

"Harry and Ron. They were rescued that same day, but they couldn't get to me."

"They came back for you, right?" Remus was scared to ask.

"Two-hundred and twenty-three."

They were all confused.

"Two-hundred and twenty-three what?"

"Days," she whispered. It was barely audible, but they all heard.

Then she kept eating and no more questions were asked.

That night there was no doubt where everyone was sleeping. They piled in bed. This time Remus and James held her hands and Sirius sprawled out at the foot of the bed.

The next day it was in the library.

She was laying on the ground by the fire. Remus was the only other in the room, and he was relaxing on the couch with a book.

"Ron read Babbity Rabbity to me. We were in the tent, and I had never read it before." Her voice was stronger this time. It was a rather fond memory for her. It had been so out of character.

"That's why you thought I was him," he said quietly. She nodded from her place on the ground. When she fell asleep a couple hours later, he carried her up to bed.

Then the backyard.

Diagon Alley when shopping for supplies.

Right before they all fell asleep.

"They kept me in chains in the dungeon."

"Voldemort's favorites were the Cruciatus and Legilimency."

"She carved this into my arm with a cursed blade. It will never heal or fade."

And so on. Sirius was the worst at hearing it. He would sit and listen and then as soon as she was done he would storm off somewhere to let off steam. Remus would sit there stoically and put a mask up, so she wouldn't be able to tell how sick he was feeling. James was openly distraught and more affectionate than she ever remembered Harry being. He'd taken to quick kisses on her forehead and holding her hand so tight she lost feeling.

She noticed with every confession she felt lighter, but there were some things she wouldn't tell them. Wasn't ready to tell them.

But she hoped she would one day.

She hadn't lied to them yet, and she never wanted to. But withholdings of truth were, at certain points, absolutely necessary.

When it was finally time to leave for Hogwarts she was ready.

Hermione was standing on Platform Nine and Three Quarters again. She never imagined she would be back here, and especially not with the crowd she was currently standing with. She was sandwiched protectively between Sirius and Remus and watching quietly as Charlus and Dorea whispered quietly to James. She was wearing a large jumper and some simple trousers and fidgeting nervously. Her fingers were tangled into the fabric of Sirius's sleeve. Then James was holding out his hand and Dorea and Charlus were looking at her.

"Hermione, dear, come here," said Dorea. Hermione let go of Sirius's shirt and reached for James.

He pulled her toward them and placed an arm around her shoulders.

"Don't worry, Mum and Dad. I'll take care of her." Hermione poked him in the side. "Not that she needs it." He smiled down at her, "You would totally kick my arse."

"James!"

"Sorry, Mum! Language, I know."

Hermione stepped forward and wrapped both the Potter's in a tight hug.

She whispered, "Thank you. For everything."

When she pulled away Charlus was giving her his sad smile, and Dorea looked like she hadn't wanted to let go.

"Be careful," Dorea said. She gave Hermione a pointed look.

"Send us an owl when you get sorted." Charlus winked and Hermione laughed.

"Look, it's Pete!"

Hermione turned and saw Peter Pettigrew walk up to stand next to Sirius. How had she forgotten about Peter?

"Hey guys."

My parents. He betrayed my parents.

Harry's voice.

It had been popping up more often and usually at the most inconvenient of times.

"Hermione, you coming?"

She shook herself and took Remus's elbow.

She had prepared herself mentally for what she assumed would be the hardest parts about going back to school, but now she wasn't sure she was actually ready.

Hogwarts was a microcosm of petty drama and self-fulfilled stereotypes.

Death Eaters and Dark Lords she understood. Teenage girls and preening boys she didn't.

So she squeezed Remus and let him pull her to the compartment at the back of the train where Sirius put hers and everyone else's trunks up. She took the spot in-between Sirius and James and let out a breath. Remus and Peter sat across from them and almost immediately a conversation started up.

Hermione took a moment to think about the sorting. She had decided on Gryffindor which really wasn't all that surprising.

She was focusing on a spot on the bench in front of her when the compartment door slid open and standing there was a very pretty and put-together red-head.

"Remus Lupin," she had the commanding sort of voice like she was always building up to a good verbal lashing. "I am sure you haven't forgotten that we have a Prefects meeting at the front of the train?"

Remus looked up from his book.

"Of course, Lily. Give me a mo."

"Lily-flower, you are somehow even more beautiful than you were last year," said James from beside Hermione.

She ignored him.

Lily's eyes slid over Peter and towards the bench where Hermione was sitting.

That's my mum, Mione.

Hermione sucked in a breath when she made eye-contact with Lily. She had forgotten she'd see his eyes again. So green and deep. The weight of how much she missed him hit her like a freight train. She shuddered.

Sirius reached over and took her hand. Lily took in the motion and narrowed her eyes.

"Have a new plaything already, Sirius?"

Hermione didn't react. She couldn't stop looking at her eyes which were now staring down Sirius with disapproval.

Sirius jumped up, but didn't release her hand.

"Don't start, Evans! It's not like that!"

Hermione looked up at Sirius and realized what was happening. His eyes were on fire, and he was standing like he wasn't above punching Lily straight in the face. Hermione stood up and stepped in front of him. She tried to let go of his hand, but he only squeezed tighter.

"It's okay, Sirius," she whispered. He showed no signs that he had heard her at all. She sighed and turned towards Lily.

"Hullo. My name is Hermione," she said as pleasantly as she could manage. She couldn't break eye-contact and she watched as Lily's eyes widened almost comically.

She'd seen that look before.

She looks so much like you, Harry.

Hermione blinked as quickly as she could to stop the tears that had sprung to her eyes, and she could see Lily begin to panic. She hadn't meant to make the girl cry.

She quickly grabbed Hermione's left hand (since her right was busy losing circulation in Sirius's large, callused one) and shook it enthusiastically.

"Pleasure!"

Hermione smiled nervously, squeezed Sirius's hand, and sunk back into her seat where she closed her eyes.

It was silent for a few moments before Remus cleared his throat and stood. Hermione felt Sirius slide back into his seat, and begin to loosen his hold.

"Right, well, Lily let's go."

"Yes, alright. It was nice to meet you." Hermione hummed in acknowledgment, but didn't open her eyes.

Then they were gone and Hermione let the breath go that she hadn't realized she was holding.

"Kitten?"

She opened her eyes and continued blinking spastically. When her vision cleared she saw Peter, James, and Sirius staring at her imploringly.

Merlin, Mione, you need to calm down.

She almost laughed. She was definitely losing her mind. Hermione leaned her head on James's shoulder and closed her eyes again.

"I'm just tired," she said. "I think I'm just going to sleep a bit."

James pressed a kiss to the top of her head and sighed.

Once Hermione's breath had evened out and her hand had gone limp, Sirius looked over at James and gave him a dirty look.

"Oi! What was that for!" James was making a poor attempt at whisper yelling which only fueled Sirius's glare.

"Your Lily-flower, essentially called our Hermione a floozy!"

Sirius's whisper wasn't any better than James's.

Peter shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He'd clearly missed some kind of bonding between the Marauders and the girl who never even looked at him. James looked down at his shoes in shame.

"Yes, that wasn't exactly her brightest moment."

Hermione slept the rest of the train ride and before she knew it she was being woken up to put on her robes before they arrived.

It was odd, she thought, to be wearing school robes again, but then again everything that she had done so far in this timeline had felt odd and out of place. It was all just so normal.

Once they were off the train she followed closely behind Sirius and James as they led her and Peter to a carriage, and then in what felt like the shortest ride of her life the castle began to loom out in front of them.

She was stopped by McGonagall before she could follow the boys into the Great Hall.

"Miss Granger. I'm afraid you'll have to wait out here until Professor Dumbledore calls you in to be sorted."

Hermione nodded and smiled reassuringly at the boys lingering in the doorway.

James looked particularly unwilling to leave.

"I'll be okay, James." He raised his eyebrows. "Promise."

"I promised my parents," he said carefully.

"Please tell me you aren't planning on not leaving my side all year."

James sputtered, "Well, no I was planning on leaving you be when you're in the loo."

Hermione laughed and then realized he wasn't kidding.

"James, you've got to be kidding!" She was gaping at the serious look on his face. "I promise I can take care of myself when need be!"

He let out a sigh and then pointed as menacingly as he could manage at McGonagall.

"Don't let anyone hurt her, or I'll know whose fault it is, Minnie!" McGonagall looked wholly affronted, and James realized his mistake a little too late. He shrank down like a toddler with his hand in the cookie jar. "Please," he whispered.

"Mr. Potter!"

James ran up and kissed the top of Hermione's head before turning and running into the Great Hall after Sirius and Peter.

Hermione was actually giggling and McGonagall still had a disbelieving look on her face.

"Sorry about him. I think he imagines himself to be an over-protective big brother," said Hermione quietly. McGonagall shook herself and looked at her.

"Well I believe an over-protective brother is something that will do you some good, Miss Granger."

Hermione smiled at her. Professor McGonagall had been her favorite Professor in her three years at Hogwarts.

"Now, you will be getting sorted before the first years, and I imagine the news that there is a transfer will cause quite the uproar with the other students. I hope it won't draw any unwanted attention.

"Me as well."

McGonagall opened her mouth to say something else, but right then the doors to the Great Hall that had closed after James swung open again.

"Yes, well that would be your cue. Continue on, Miss Granger."

Hermione frowned and looked into the Great Hall which had started to slowly grow silent when the doors had opened. She could see all the students swiveling their heads to get a look at who the transfer student exactly was.

Hermione took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and began the long trek to the dreaded stool at the front. She could hear whispers and feel eyes tracking her movement, but she did her best to ignore them and sat herself on the stool.

Soon, the large sorting hat was covering her vision.

Ah, you are a challenge!

You possess the qualities of all houses. Cunning, knowledge seeking, loyal, and undoubtedly brave!

Hmm… You have the will necessary to do anything to accomplish your goals, maybe it ought to be Slytherin?

But no, you have muggle blood, so that just wouldn't do. Unwavering loyalty? Perhaps I should make you a badger? HA, no I should think not.

Ravenclaw would be a good choice…

But I think it ought to be,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Hermione let out a sigh of relief, and her eyes automatically landed on her four boys clapping and yelling louder than anyone in Gryffindor. She hopped off the stool and walked as quickly as she could to the middle of the table where they were sitting and was promptly lifted straight off her feet in a tight hug from Sirius.

She laughed and hugged him back, but after a few seconds she was back on the ground and being pulled by her hand to the spot next to Remus. Sirius slid into the place next to her and threw his arm around her.

"Told you, you had nothing to worry about Jamie!" Sirius bellowed.

"Hermione, you scared us! The hat was on your head longer than I have ever seen!" James was red in the face sitting across from her. Hermione leaned over and straightened his glasses.

"Yes, well I can't wait to send an owl home and tell Dorea and Charlus that the hat wanted to put me in Slytherin," she said teasingly.

James's jaw quite literally dropped and he stared at her with disbelief.

Remus nudged her and said quietly, "I didn't know you had some snake in you, Mione."

Hermione froze. The last time someone had called her Mione, it had been Harry and Ron right before Dobby had taken them to safety. They had screamed it and been reaching for her, but she had been half-pinned beneath a chandelier.

We tried to come back for you, but no elf would take us.

Hermione was starting to wonder what this voice in her head's purpose was when she felt someone poke her cheek.

"You alright there, Hermione? We lost you for a second."

"Not Mione," she whispered.

Remus looked guilty and confused, and Sirius and James were leaning close so they could hear.

"The last thing Ron and Harry ever said to me was Mione."

Remus's lips thinned, and he smiled carefully at her.

"Right then. Not Mione."

Hermione took a deep breath, and then a hand was slammed on the table next to James and all four of them jumped.

"Boys. I demand you introduce me to your new charge right this instant."

Sirius smirked.

"Hullo, Marlene." He gave the girl an appreciative onceover and the girl matched his expression. Hermione frowned and looked at her. She was tall and curvy and had perfect, straight blonde hair. Her eyes were a bright blue, and her skin was golden in what appeared to be a nice summer tan.

"Marlene McKinnon, meet Hermione Granger."

Her eyes turned towards her, and Marlene grinned.

"I see you've wrangled these fellows. You must be quite the witch."

Hermione smiled then.

"It wasn't easy."

Marlene laughed and sat on the other side of Peter. Just then the first years began to pour into the Great Hall and everyone quieted down for the sorting.

Hermione paid rapt attention to everyone that got sorted. Some noteworthy were Kingsley Shacklebolt (Gryffindor), Edgar Bones (Hufflepuff), and Charity Burbage (Ravenclaw). Other than that, she didn't know anyone. Then the food started appearing and she almost cried at all the smells and warm soups. She put a couple things on her plate and was about to start eating when suddenly more potatoes were being spooned there, and then some more vegetables, and then some more steak and kidney pie. She looked up to the suspiciously innocent faces of Sirius, Remus, and James.

Remus leaned over and whispered, "If you don't eat it all James will have an aneurism."

Hermione looked at James who looked pointedly at the food on her plate.

Hermione frowned but picked up her fork nonetheless.

She ate nearly all of it before her stomach started to protest and she pushed her plate forward to rest her forehead on the wooden table.

She groaned and could hear Sirius laughing at her. She kicked at his ankles and frowned.

Later, Amos Diggory as Head Boy lead the Gryffindors up to their tower and everyone walked to their rooms for bed. Eventually, it emptied out completely. Hermione was left standing in the common room rather unsure of herself when an apologetic looking Lily Evans popped up right in front of her.

"Hullo. Professor McGonagall told me that you have your own room right at the bottom of the stairs."

"Oh. Thank you, Lily," said Hermione. She turned to start walking towards the stairs when Lily stopped her with a hand on her forearm.

"Wait! I also wanted to-"

Hermione flinched and tried to pull away, but Lily held tight.

"Um, Hermione?"

Hermione looked up and saw that Lily was staring at the place on her wrist where the sleeve of her robe had ridden up. It was only the scars from the shackles, but Hermione guessed they could still be pretty gruesome to someone who probably had only ever scraped their knees.

Hermione could feel that familiar panic begin to fog up her brain. She yanked her wrist, but Lily still wouldn't let go.

"What are these from?"

Hermione felt trapped.

"Please let go."

She knew what she would do if the person holding her wrist was a Death Eater, but the person trapping her wasn't a Death Eater, it was Lily Evans. A very concerned Lily Evans.

"Are you okay?"

Hermione's breathing was getting quick, and she could feel her vision start to go black around the edges.

"Hermione!"

Then she felt herself falling and Lily's small arms trying to catch her. They both ended up on the floor with Hermione's head sideways on Lily's lap, and Lily's hand clutching tightly at Hermione's wrist.

"Someone get Potter!"

She realized after she said it that she was the only one in the common room. Lily had tears in her eyes as she carefully held on to Hermione.

Suddenly a door slammed against a wall somewhere and all four of the Marauders were flying down the stairs. Well, all but Peter who was hesitantly trailing after them. Lily should've known Remus would be able to hear her. James carefully pulled Hermione from her arms.

"What did you do, Evans!" It was Sirius Black.

"I didn't mean to! She just passed out!"

"Hermione doesn't just pass out! Something had to have happened."

"Sirius, you should stop yelling or all of Gryffindor will come down," said Remus carefully. James was carefully patting Hermione's cheeks and calling her name.

"Remus is right. We should take her to her room."

"You can't! Boys aren't allowed on the girl's stairs!"

Sirius gave her a withering glance and said, "Come on, Evans. You know I found a way around that ages ago."

Lily looked flabbergasted.

James quickly gathered Hermione up and carried her to the door where Lily pointed after Sirius cast some sort of spell that allowed them through. Luckily, they only had to go up a few steps.

None of the boys questioned why Hermione had her own room as they carried her quickly to the bed and laid her out. Lily threw a fit when James climbed in after her, but quickly stopped when all the boys turned and leveled her with a glare.

Sirius Black's anger was something she was used to, but Remus and James not so much.

Lily wasn't an idiot. She'd found out Remus Lupin was a werewolf after all. Something was seriously wrong with Hermione Granger, and she was going to get to the bottom of it.

Right before Lily turned to leave, she heard Hermione's soft cries.

"I'm sorry. I just blacked out. I don't know what happened!"

"Don't say that! It's not your fault, Hermione. I'll stay here with you, okay? We all will, right guys?"

After that Lily shut the door quietly. This year was going to be so different.

AN: Let me know what you think in the reviews:)